Apparatus for detecting bioelectric signals

Claim 1

An apparatus for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals, comprising: a detecting electrode, adapted to detect electrical signals when in contact with the skin of a patient at chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; a reference electrode adapted to be held against the skin of a patient and the couple stimulating signals into the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the patient; an amplifying circuit means connected to said detecting electrode for amplifying micro-current signals in the range of 10 -11 and 10 -4 amperes detected thereby: a stimulating signal generating circuit means connected to said reference electrode for applying a stimulating voltage to the skin of the patient at said fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; wherein said detecting electrode, reference electrode, amplifying circuit means, and stimulating signal generating circuit means form a stimulating and detecting circuit means for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals; the apparatus further comprising a signal processing circuit means connected to the output of said amplifying circuit means for processing the output signals; and output means connected to the output of said signal processing circuit means for displaying the processed output signals; wherein said amplifying circuit means comprises: a logarithmic micro-current amplifier; a temperature compensating circuit; and an inverting circuit; wherein said logarithmic micro-current amplifier has an input connected to said detecting electrode, and an output connected to an input of said temperature compensating circuit which has an output connected in turn to the input of said inverted circuit, and the output of the inverting circuit is provided to the input of said signal processing circuit means, whereby a detected micro-current in the range of 10 -11 -10 -4 amperes is amplified to provide an output signal proportional to the negative logarithm of said micro-current.

Claim 2

An apparatus for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals, comprising: a detecting electrode, adapted to detect electrical signals when in contact with the skin of a patient at chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; a reference electrode adapted to be held against the skin of a patient and the couple stimulating signals into the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the patient; an amplifying circuit means connected to said detecting electrode for amplifying micro-current signals in the range of 10 -11 and 10 -4 amperes detected thereby: a stimulating signal generating circuit means connected to said reference electrode for applying a stimulating voltage to the skin of the patient at said fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; wherein said detecting electrode, reference electrode, amplifying circuit means, and stimulating signal generating circuit means form a stimulating and detecting circuit means for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals; the apparatus further comprising a signal processing circuit means connected to the output of said amplifying circuit means for processing the output signals; and output means connected to the output of said signal processing circuit means for displaying the processed output signals; wherein said amplifying circuit means comprises: a logarithmic micro-current amplifier; a temperature compensating circuit; and an inverting circuit; wherein said logarithmic micro-current amplifier has an input connected to said detecting electrode, and an output connected to an input of said temperature compensating circuit which has an output connected in turn to the input of said inverted circuit, and the output of the inverting circuit is provided to the input of said signal processing circuit means, whereby a detected micro-current in the range of 10 -11 -10 -4 amperes is amplified to provide an output signal proportional to the negative logarithm of said micro-current.

Claim 7

An apparatus for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals, comprising: a detecting electrode, adapted to detect electrical signals when in contact with the skin of a patient at chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; a reference electrode adapted to be held against the skin of a patient and to couple stimulating signals into the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the patient; an amplifying circuit means connected to said detecting electrode for amplifying micro-current signals in the range of 10 -11 and 10 -4 amperes detected thereby: a stimulating signal generating circuit means connected to said reference electrode for applying a stimulating voltage to the skin of the patient at said fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; wherein said detecting electrode, reference electrode, amplifying circuit means, and stimulating signal generating circuit means form a stimulating and detecting circuit means for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals; the apparatus further comprising a signal processing circuit means connected to the output of said amplifying circuit means for processing the output signals; and output means connected to the output of said signal processing circuit means for displaying the processed output signals; wherein said detecting electrode comprises: an inner conductor; an outer conductor which shields said inner conductor; a coaxial cable with its inner and outer conductors connected respectively to said inner and outer conductors; an insulating layer which insulates said inner and outer conductors from each other at their detecing ends; wherein during detection said inner conductor forms a noninvasive contact with the skin of the patient while said outer conductor is insulated from said skin.

Claim 8

An apparatus for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals, comprising: a detecting electrode, adapted to detect electrical signals when in contact with the skin of a patient at chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; a reference electrode adapted to be held against the skin of a patient and to couple stimulating signals into the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the patient; an amplifying circuit means connected to said detecting electrode for amplifying micro-current signals in the range of 10 -11 and 10 -4 amperes detected thereby: a stimulating signal generating circuit means connected to said reference electrode for applying a stimulating voltage to the skin of the patient at said fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; wherein said detecting electrode, reference electrode, amplifying circuit means, and stimulating signal generating circuit means form a stimulating and detecting circuit means for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals; the apparatus further comprising a signal processing circuit means connected to the output of said amplifying circuit means for processing the output signals; and output means connected to the output of said signal processing circuit means for displaying the processed output signals; wherein said detecting electrode comprises: an inner conductor; an outer conductor which shields said inner conductor; a coaxial cable with its inner and outer conductors connected respectively to said inner and outer conductors; an insulating layer which insulates said inner and outer conductors from each other at their detecing ends; wherein during detection said inner conductor forms a noninvasive contact with the skin of the patient while said outer conductor is insulated from said skin.

Claim 13

An apparatus for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals, comprising: a detecting electrode, adapted to detect electrical signals when in contact with the skin of a patient at chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; a reference electrode adapted to be held against the skin of a patient and to couple stimulating signals into the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the patient; an amplifying circuit means connected to said detecting electrode for amplifying micro-current signals in the range of 10 -11 and 10 -4 amperes detected thereby: a stimulating signal generating circuit means connected to said reference electrode for applying a stimulating voltage to the skin of the patient at said fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; wherein said detecting electrode, reference electrode, amplifying circuit means and stimulating signal generating circuit means form a stimulating and detecting circuit means for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals; the apparatus further comprising a signal processing circuit means connected to the output of said amplifying circuit means for processing the output signals; and output means connected to the output of said signal processing circuit means for displaying the processed output signals; wherein said signal processing circuit means comprises: a delay circuit; and a sample-and-hold circuit; wherein said sample-and-hold circuit samples the output signal of said amplifying circuit means with a fixed delay time under the control of said delay circuit and holds the sampled signal for providing it to said output means.

Claim 14

An apparatus for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals, comprising: a detecting electrode, adapted to detect electrical signals when in contact with the skin of a patient at chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; a reference electrode adapted to be held against the skin of a patient and to couple stimulating signals into the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the patient; an amplifying circuit means connected to said detecting electrode for amplifying micro-current signals in the range of 10 -11 and 10 -4 amperes detected thereby: a stimulating signal generating circuit means connected to said reference electrode for applying a stimulating voltage to the skin of the patient at said fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; wherein said detecting electrode, reference electrode, amplifying circuit means and stimulating signal generating circuit means form a stimulating and detecting circuit means for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals; the apparatus further comprising a signal processing circuit means connected to the output of said amplifying circuit means for processing the output signals; and output means connected to the output of said signal processing circuit means for displaying the processed output signals; wherein said signal processing circuit means comprises: a delay circuit; and a sample-and-hold circuit; wherein said sample-and-hold circuit samples the output signal of said amplifying circuit means with a fixed delay time under the control of said delay circuit and holds the sampled signal for providing it to said output means.

Claim 19

An apparatus for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals, comprising: a detecting electrode, adapted to detect electrical signals when in contact with the skin of a patient at chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; a reference electrode adapted to be held against the skin of a patient and to couple stimulating signals into the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the patient; an amplifying circuit means connected to said detecting electrode for amplifying micro-current signals in the range of 10 -11 and 10 -4 amperes detected thereby: a stimulating signal generating circuit means connected to said reference electrode for applying a stimulating voltage to the skin of the patient at said fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; wherein said detecting electrode, reference electrode, amplifying circuit means, and stimulating signal generating circuit means form a stimulating and detecting circuit means for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals; the apparatus further comprising a signal processing circuit means connected to the output of said amplifying circuit means for processing the output signals; and output means connected to the output of said signal processing circuit means for displaying the processed output signals, wherein said signal processing circuit means comprises: a threshold voltage dividing circuit having two outputs providing respectively upper and lower threshold signals; a pair of comparators connected to compare the output of said amplifying circuit means to said upper and lower threshold signals to determine the range of said output signal; display means connected to the outputs of said comparators to display the comparison result determined by the output signals to said comparators; and a cut-off circuit which cuts off the output of said comparators when the output signal of said amplifying circuit means is zero, to stabilize the output of said display means.

Claim 20

An apparatus for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals, comprising: a detecting electrode, adapted to detect electrical signals when in contact with the skin of a patient at chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; a reference electrode adapted to be held against the skin of a patient and to couple stimulating signals into the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the patient; an amplifying circuit means connected to said detecting electrode for amplifying micro-current signals in the range of 10 -11 and 10 -4 amperes detected thereby: a stimulating signal generating circuit means connected to said reference electrode for applying a stimulating voltage to the skin of the patient at said fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; wherein said detecting electrode, reference electrode, amplifying circuit means, and stimulating signal generating circuit means form a stimulating and detecting circuit means for stimulating and detecting bioelectric signals; the apparatus further comprising a signal processing circuit means connected to the output of said amplifying circuit means for processing the output signals; and output means connected to the output of said signal processing circuit means for displaying the processed output signals, wherein said signal processing circuit means comprises: a threshold voltage dividing circuit having two outputs providing respectively upper and lower threshold signals; a pair of comparators connected to compare the output of said amplifying circuit means to said upper and lower threshold signals to determine the range of said output signal; display means connected to the outputs of said comparators to display the comparison result determined by the output signals to said comparators; and a cut-off circuit which cuts off the output of said comparators when the output signal of said amplifying circuit means is zero, to stabilize the output of said display means.

Claim 21

A method for treating a patient, comprising the steps of placing a reference electrode against the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; applying a stimulating signal to the body of the patient at said fixed reference point by way of said reference electrode; successively placing a detecting electrode against the skin of the patient at a series of chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; detecting electrical currents passing from said reference electrode into the body of said patient at said fixed reference point, through the body of said patient, and into said detecting electrode at said series of chosen acupoints, said signal typically being a micro current in the range of 10 -11 -10 -4 amperes; amplifying said detected signals; and recording the currents detected at each of said chosen acupoints on the body of the patient, for comparison to comparable micro current signals detected similarly at others of said acupoints on the body of said patient, at the same and other acupoints detected on the body of said patient at other times, and at the same and other acupoints on the bodies of other patients for diagnosis and treatment of said patient.

Claim 22

A method for treating a patient, comprising the steps of placing a reference electrode against the skin of the patient at a fixed reference point on the center line of the body of the patient; applying a stimulating signal to the body of the patient at said fixed reference point by way of said reference electrode; successively placing a detecting electrode against the skin of the patient at a series of chosen acupoints on the body of the patient; detecting electrical currents passing from said reference electrode into the body of said patient at said fixed reference point, through the body of said patient, and into said detecting electrode at said series of chosen acupoints, said signal typically being a micro current in the range of 10 -11 -10 -4 amperes; amplifying said detected signals; and recording the currents detected at each of said chosen acupoints on the body of the patient, for comparison to comparable micro current signals detected similarly at others of said acupoints on the body of said patient, at the same and other acupoints detected on the body of said patient at other times, and at the same and other acupoints on the bodies of other patients for diagnosis and treatment of said patient.